At the time of admission to the program you are assigned a faculty adviser to offer guidance in the selection and sequencing of courses, in clarifying professional objectives, and in other matters. The department must approve any transfer credits and courses taken outside the department, if you plan to apply them toward your 36-semester-hour program. To submit courses for consideration, send the syllabi and transcripts to Kit Austin and a copy of the official transcripts to the Office of Admissions. If you are not satisfied with the departmental decision, the matter can be taken up with the director of the School. 

It is possible to change advisers.  See the director if you wish to do so.  The School has a personal interest in each student, and the advisers are eager to help you.

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II.  Independent Study

General Statement

The independent study (021:292) is intended to provide the student with a specific knowledge and/or competency compatible with his or her career plans and professional development goals and which is available through no other University offerings or mechanisms. In other words, independent study should not be used to cover material that is taught in an existing SLIS course. Its primary purpose is to enable a student to expand upon a topic that he or she has already begun to explore during a SLIS course, and to offer the opportunity to study an idea at a deeper level. It is to be as academically rigorous and demanding as a regularly enrolled course. Independent study requires consent of the instructor who will oversee and evaluate the work. Faculty availability for independent study is limited.

Procedure

A. Prepare a formal proposal that includes:

1. Statement of purpose, goals, and objectives.

2. Bibliography extensive enough to indicate prior investigation of the proposed topic or area of study.

3. Schedule of topics, activities, and meeting times with instructor.

4. Description of outcome or product (e.g., paper of rigorous quality, handbook or manual, multimedia production, substantive web project, programming project).

 
B.   Submit proof to SLIS secretary that the instructor has agreed to oversee the independent study prior to registering for the class. Obtain a section number for the independent study from the secretary so that you can register.

C.   Credit

1. For one semester hour of credit, the effort should represent 45-50 hours of work during the term.

2. For two semester hours of credit, the effort should represent 90-100 hours of work during the term.

3. For three semester hours of credit, the effort should represent 135-150 hours of work during the term.

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III. Thesis

Master’s Thesis Policy

A student may opt to write a thesis (021:299) in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the M.A. in library and information science.  The thesis carries 6 semester hours of credit and has these prerequisites:  021:101, 021:120, 021:122, 021:202, 021:260, and consent of the director. 

The thesis option requires the following:

1. The student will identify a thesis adviser and two thesis committee members.  One committee member may come from a relevant department outside of LIS.  Two members must be from within the department, including the thesis adviser.

2.   The student develops the research problem, completes a comprehensive literature review, and proposes a method for study, with advice and counsel from the adviser and in consultation with the other committee members.  The proposal should be written using the following format as a guideline:  Research Problem, Literature Review, Proposed Methodology.

3.  Upon recommendation of the thesis adviser, the student arranges a meeting of the thesis committee to review the proposal.  Copies of the proposal will be delivered to the committee members no less than one week before the proposal meeting.

4.   The purpose of the proposal meeting shall be for the committee to make suggestions and recommendations to the student for the study.  The student will be responsible for recording the suggestions and recommendations of committee members.

5.  After the proposal meeting, the student and adviser will confer and review the outcome of the proposal meeting.

6.  The student will proceed to carry out the study, conferring with the adviser and other committee members as he/she deems necessary.

7.   Once the major portion of the research has been completed (for example, the data have been collected), the student will write the thesis, including the information written for the proposal as well as the results and conclusions of the study.

8.  The adviser will review the thesis and will determine its readiness for defense.

9.  The student will be responsible for convening the defense meeting with the thesis committee.

10. The student will deliver the thesis to all members of the committee no less than five working days before the defense.

11.  After the defense, the student will make any necessary corrections; the adviser will be responsible for ensuring that required revisions are completed.

12.   The student will be responsible for following the formatting guidelines of the Graduate College.

13.  Once the thesis has been corrected and signatures are obtained from all committee members, the student may proceed to deposit the finished work in the Graduate College Office.

14.  Dates for preliminary and final deposit in the Graduate College Office must be followed; these dates are a part of the University’s Official Calendar.  It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all deadlines are met.

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IV. Student Portfolio or Comprehensive Examination

All students in the MA program must prepare a portfolio or complete a comprehensive examination prior to graduation. Students entering the MA program after 2003 must prepare a portfolio. Students who began the program before 2004 will have the option to prepare a portfolio or take the comprehensive examination.

Eligibility
Student must have completed 30 semester hours of coursework, and all core courses by the end of the semester during which they prepare the portfolio or take the comprehensive exam.

Role of Committee

Student portfolios and comprehensive exams are evaluated by a committee consisting of three SLIS faculty members. Two committee members must be tenure-track faculty, and one may be adjunct faculty.

Each member of the committee evaluates the portfolio or comprehensive examination. All three members attend the portfolio presentation or comprehensive oral exam and participate in the evaluation and questioning.

Evaluation and Notification

Upon completion of the oral presentation or oral exam, each committee member rates the student's performance (both written and oral) by voting in one of the following ways:  Pass, Pass with Distinction, or Fail.  Two passing votes are needed to pass. Students receiving two or more votes of Pass with Distinction are awarded this honor, which becomes part of the student’s permanent record.  If a student fails the written segment of the portfolio or the entire comprehensive exam, permission to retake the examination may be given, at the discretion of the committee, but the second exam will not be held sooner than the next regularly scheduled examination period in the following session. If a student's written portfolio is satisfactory but the oral presentation is deemed unsatisfactory, students may re-present their portfolio for the "Re-Do" committee on the day listed in the Portfolio/Comps Schedule.

Notification is made by letter from the committee chair after all exams and presentations have been completed.

Schedule and Instructions

Students will receive information via the SLIS list by the end of the third week of the semester. Students are responsible for meeting all deadlines listed.

Portfolio details are given in the following link. Please read the document carefully before addressing questions to the faculty or office staff.

Portfolio Information

Comprehensive Examination

The written portion is a take-home exam. Your questions will be prepared by your committee, taking into account the focus of your program.  Two questions will be distributed to students around the 11th week of the semester, and collected two weeks later. A comprehensive examination typically contains two questions.  Five double-spaced pages and an additional bibliography of readings are expected in response to each question.  A set of guidelines on how to take the comprehensive exam will be distributed to students along with the examination questions.

Oral exams are held one week after the written exams are turned in.  The oral exam is one hour in length.  It covers the content of your written paper, but can include other questions as well, since it is intended to measure your comprehensive knowledge of the field.

The M.A. in LIS requires 36 semester hours of graduate credit.  At least 24 semester hours must be completed under the auspices of The University of Iowa after formal admission to the degree program.  Transfer credits from other institutions must be approved by the Transfer Credit Committee (see Transfer Guidelines for details).  Approval is given on a course-by-course basis and is determined by evaluating the course’s content, currency, and applicability to the student’s program.

VI. Leaves of Absence

Students admitted to the School of Library and Information Science are expected to enroll continuously on a full-time or part-time basis until completing the degree.  Prior approval should be sought from the adviser before interrupting the program.

Leaves of absence are granted on a semester-by-semester basis up to a total absence of 36 months.  In accordance with Graduate College policy, students who fail to register for a period of 36 months or more must apply for readmission.  Consideration of the application for readmission will be governed by the departmental and Graduate College admissions standards in effect at the time of reapplication.

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VII. Academic Progress

Graduate students in library and information science must maintain a grade-point average of at least 3.00 in courses leading to their M.A. degree.  A student whose grade-point average after 8 semester hours falls below 3.00 is placed on academic probation and notified in writing.  If  the average is raised to 3.00 after completing 8 additional semester hours of graduate credit, the student will be restored to good standing.  However, if the student’s cumulative grade-point average remains below 3.00 after completing 8 additional semester hours, the student will not be permitted to reregister.  Students on probation may not take the M.A. comprehensive examination, defend a thesis, or receive the M.A. degree.

Students who have been admitted conditionally to the M.A. program must earn regular status before registering for a third session.  Terms for achieving regular status are given at the time of conditional admission.

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VIII. Evaluation of Instructional Staff

At the end of each course, students are asked to evaluate the instructor, using the University’s standard evaluation form, Assessing the Classroom Environment (ACE).

In addition, the School complies with the University policy on oral communication competence of instructional staff.  Students who wish to lodge a complaint about the oral communication competence of an instructor or teaching assistant are advised to bring it to the director of SLIS, who will take action to verify the complaint, discuss the complaint with the instructor if warranted, and take responsibility to see that the problem is addressed in a way that will ensure that adequate standards of oral communication competence are maintained.

 

IX. Library and Information Science Student Organization

The Library and Information Science Student Organization (LISSO) is composed of all students currently enrolled in the program.  LISSO’s Executive Committee includes the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and the chairs of the four standing committees (Events/Speakers, New Student Orientation, Kitchen and Social).  The President and Vice-President are elected at the end of the preceding semester and the balance of the Executive Committee is selected at the beginning of each semester.  Prior to the election, LISSO officers will meet with the new class to explain the purposes of the organization and the procedures of selection of Executive Committee members.

  

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X. Mailboxes, Telephones, and Lockers

As soon as possible at the beginning of each term, a student directory is prepared and individual mailboxes are assigned to each student.  These mailboxes are located to the immediate left of the entrance to the administrative offices.  Written messages can thus be sent easily to any student in the school.  The mailboxes may also be used for distribution of material for a class of students or for the entire student body.  Such items should not be of an anonymous nature but should be identified by the name of the writer.

It is suggested that telephone messages be directed to the student’s home phone, listed in the student directory.  Those needing to place telephone calls may make local calls from the Technology Lab.  A pay phone is located just outside the School’s quarters on the third floor.

Ninety lockers have been provided for student use.  To claim a locker for yourself choose any one available, provide it with lock, and register the number in the SLIS office.

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XI. SLIS Mailing List and Website

The School maintains an electronic mailing list, which is referred to as the SLIS list.  It is used to notify students of job opportunities, scholarships, events, scheduling changes, etc. All students should sign on to this mailing list.  Instructions are sent to all new students.  The instructions are also posted on the School’s web site, click here.  The web site is a comprehensive resource for up-to-date information on the School, its curriculum and course schedules, faculty, student resources, etc.

 

XII. General University Policies

A comprehensive guide to student rights and responsibilities, Policies and Regulations Affecting Students, is issued each fall. Copies are mailed to each registered student and are also available in the office of the Dean of Students, 114 Jessup Hall and at the IMU Campus Information Center.

-- Revised January 2004